Production of edible substrates

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems for making an edible substrate may include depositing an edible material onto a backing material from a slot-coat applicator, a spray applicator or a combination of thereof, to form a substantially planar image-bearing edible substrate suitable for adherence to an edible material. An image may be printed on the edible substrate using one or more printing techniques, including screen printing, offset printing, thermal transfer, ink jet printing, lithographic blanket transfer printing, flexographic printing, letter press rotary relief plate printing, web printing, reel to reel printing and gravure printing.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to a pending provisional applicationentitled “Production of Edible Substrates”, U.S. Ser. No. 60/456,899,filed on Mar. 21, 2003, which application is hereby incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to the manufacture of substrates, and in certainembodiments to the manufacture of printable edible substrates.

BACKGROUND

Decorative images are frequently applied to confections and foodarticles, such as cakes, pastries, ice cream, and baked goods.Frequently, decorative images are borne on an edible substrate that istransferred to a surface of a food article to be decorated. The ediblesubstrates are often thin, fragile layers of starch-based ediblematerial. Such materials facilitate transfer of the decorative image tothe surface of the food article without detracting from the texture orappearance of the original food article. Preferably, the ediblesubstrates are relatively durable so as to withstand the printing andtransferring processes.

Edible substrates may be deposited onto a releasable backing paper orfilm to provide support throughout the printing process and tofacilitate handling of the edible substrate. After the edible substrateis properly transferred to the food article, the backing paper may bepeeled away to show the decorative image on the surface of the foodarticle.

Conventionally, edible substrates are formed by depositing an edibleformulation on a backing paper using “screen printing” process. In suchprocesses, a screen fixture is positioned over the surface of thebacking paper and the edible material is manually forced through ascreen mesh using a squeegee or other similar device. The properties ofpreviously known edible materials, such as their viscosity and density,made them well suited to deposition in thin layers through a screenmesh.

Screen printing processes, however, are labor-intensive and relativelyinefficient. Typically, a worker must manually force the edible materialthrough the screen mesh with a squeegee. The need for such manualintervention slows the manufacturing process and impedes efficiency andthroughput.

Relatedly, the process for printing images on this type of ediblesubstrate has been significantly improved. Copending U.S. patentapplication filed Mar. 18, 2003, by Dawn Barker et al., entitled “EdibleSubstrates” and commonly assigned herewith and incorporated by referenceherein, discloses edible inks and methods of printing edible substrateswith high-speed offset printing apparatus. This development hassignificantly improved image printing efficiency and throughput. By thatsame token, however, the relatively slow edible substrate screenprinting process now accounts for an increased fraction of the totalmanufacturing cost.

SUMMARY

Certain embodiments of the invention provide a method for producingedible substrates in a high-speed, automated environment. This method ofproduction can be synergistic with downstream printing processes thatapply edible ink to the substrate, such as a high-speed lithographicprocess adapted to handle the relatively fragile edible substrates.

A system for producing edible substrates can include a slot-coatapplicator to deposit a substrate of edible material having a thicknessof about 50 micrometers to about 750 micrometers onto a surface ofreleasable backing paper, a drying system to heat the edible substrateand remove at least a portion of moisture content from the ediblematerial, and a cutting system to cut the backing paper to apredetermined sized.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth inthe accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features,objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thedescription and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an edible substrate formed on a backingmaterial.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of a portion ofthe edible substrate and backing material depicted in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an edible substrate production line.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a slot-coating applicator from the productionline of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a spray applicator.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a rotary cutter from the production line ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is front view of the rotary cutter of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a horizontal linear cutter.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a vertical linear cutter.

Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.The objects are not necessarily shown to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a substantially planar edible substrate 10 formed ona backing material 15. The backing material 15 may include any foodcompatible backing paper, such as a polyethylene-coated release papersupplied by Cotek Papers, Ltd. of Draycott, England. The ediblesubstrate 10 may be formed on the backing material 15 in variousdimensions, and preferably, the edible substrate 10 is formed to have anexposed surface 12 that is slightly larger than the maximum print area13 of the printing equipment used to apply edible ink (not shown) to thesubstrate 10. In one embodiment, the edible substrate 10 may havedimensions of about 470-mm×270-mm, which are slightly greater than themaximum print area of about 450-mm×250-mm of a particular printingmachine (not shown). The backing material may also be provided in theform of a continuous web, as described in further detail below.

Other conventional release liners can be used as the backing material15. Suitable materials for a backing to hold or carry a substrateinclude, but are not limited to, corona-treated paper, wax coated paper,polymeric films, plastic, cellulose, polyethylene, or polypropylenecoated paper, and the like. Preferred release liners are those in whicha composition can be applied (by e.g. pouring, coating, spraying,screening, etc.) yet can also separate from a semi-solid substratewithout damaging (e.g. fracturing) the substrate.

Referring to FIG. 2, the backing material may preferably have athickness 16 that is sufficient to provide support for the ediblesubstrate 10 in downstream processes, such as deposition, drying, andcutting. In one embodiment, the backing material 15 may have a thickness16 of about 180 micrometers, and the edible substrate 10 formed thereonmay have a thickness 11 of about 250 micrometers. Thicker ediblesubstrates 10 may be produced, if desired, particularly when an imagetransfer or printing process does not limit the thickness of thesubstrate 10. Different embodiments of the edible substrates 10 may havethicknesses 11 that range from about 50 micrometers to 750 micrometers,preferably from about 100 to 500 micrometers, and more preferably fromabout 200 to 350 micrometers. The latter of these ranges can withcertain edible substrate formulations provide an optimal degree ofstructural integrity, ease of handling, texture and tastecharacteristics, humidity resistance, ink acceptance, and/orbake-ability.

FIG. 3 shows a system for producing edible substrates 10 in accordancewith an embodiment of the invention. The backing material 15 may be fedfrom a reel 20 and tension controllers 22 onto a conveyer belt 30, webrollers, or other means for carrying the web of backing materialdownstream. The backing material 15 is fed through a slot-coatapplicator 40 where the edible material 18 is deposited onto a surface17 of the backing material 15. The slot-coat applicator 40 may includeone or more valves 42 that function to open and close the flow of ediblematerial 18 from the applicator 40 (described in more detail below). Asthe web of backing material travels past the slot coater 40, the flow ofedible material 18 may be throttled on and off to create discretesubstrates 10 on the moving web.

The edible material 18 may be provided to the slot-coat applicator 40from a flexible hose 54 connected to a reservoir 52. Preferably, apressure pump 50 may be used to deliver the edible material 18 to theslot-coat applicator 40 at a substantially constant pressure so as toenable constant flow from the applicator slot (described in more detailbelow; refer to FIG. 4). In one example, the pressure pump 50 may be alid-mount pump system, which is supplied by Nordson Corporation ofDuluth, Ga., capable of delivering material at a rate of about 0.1 toabout 0.5 L/min. A programmable logic controller 55 may be used toregulate the pressure and output of the edible material 18 from thepressure pump 50 to the slot-coat applicator 40. Suitable controllers 55include the SIMATIC PLC available from Siemens Corporation and the PLC5from Allen-Bradley Corporation (now Rockwell Automation of GreatBritain). PC-based controllers may also be used. The control unit 55 maybe used to control other systems that affect the timing of theproduction line, such as the conveyor belt 30, the slot-coat applicator40, the drying system (described in more detail below), and the cuttingsystem (described in more detail below).

After the edible material 18 is deposited as a substantially planarsubstrate 10 on the surface 17 of the backing material 15, a dryingsystem 60 may be used to remove moisture from the edible material 18.The backing material 15 and the edible material 18 deposited thereon maytravel on the conveyor belt 30 through the drying system 60, whichincludes one or more drying units 62. Optionally, the drying system 60may include a separate conveyor system that can withstand repeatedexposure to the heat or another energy source from the drying units 62.In such an embodiment, the separate conveyor system may receive theedible substrates 10 and backing material 15 from the conveyor belt 30so that the conveyor belt 30 is not directly exposed to the drying units62.

In the drying system 60, the edible substrates 10 may be exposed to heator another energy source that is provided by the drying units 62. In oneembodiment, the drying units 62 emit infrared (IR) radiation. SuitableIR drying units include the IRT-Monocassette unit available fromSolaronics IRT S.A. of Armentieres, France. Depending upon the rate ofmotion of the edible substrates 10 through the drying system 60, aplurality of drying units 62 may be spaced apart along the exposedsurface 12 of the edible substrates 10 such that the drying system 60may extend for more than 1 meter along the conveyor path. By the sametoken, if the line speed is sufficiently low, the moisture from theedible material 18 may be removed using a single drying unit 62.Optionally, the drying system 60 may be equipped with fan units (notshown) or other air-movement devices so as to exhaust heat and humid airproduced by the drying units 62. In one embodiment, the rate of motionof the edible substrates 10 through the drying system 60 is about 0.1meters/second (about 20 feet/minute), and the radiation intensity of thedrying units 62 is set so that moisture is removed from the depositedlayer of edible material 18 to reduce the weight of the material 18 byabout 30% to 50% (preferably about 40%).

A drying system programmable logic controller 65 may be networked withthe drying units 62 to regulate the IR radiation intensity level. In oneembodiment, the drying system control unit 65 is capable of adjustingthe heat intensity of the individual drying units 62 with respect to therate of conveyor motion. Thus, if the production line halts due to thefailure of another system, the drying system control units 65 wouldreduce the heat intensity from the drying units so that the ediblematerial 18 in the drying system 60 is not overexposed. Furthermore, theprogrammable logic controller 55 may manage the operation of the dryingsystem control unit 65 in relation to the timing of other systems in theproduction line, or the programmable logic controller 55 may be set upto configured to control the drying system 60 without the need for thedrying system control unit 65.

A cutting system 70 may be used to cut the backing material 15 intoseparate sheets and divide the edible substrates 10. The cutting system70 may use one or more tension controllers 72 to separate the backingmaterial 15 from the conveyor belt 30 such that the conveyor belt 30 isnot exposed to the cutting blade 74. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3,the cutting system is a rotary cutter 70 that may be positioned torepeatedly cut the backing material 15 in the gap between theindividually deposited substrates 10 after the edible material 18 hasbeen exposed to the drying system 60.

FIGS. 6-7 show the rotary cutter of FIG. 3 in more detail. The backingmaterial 15 may be cut when the cutting blade 74 contacts an opposingsurface 75 that is substantially rigid. The cutting blade 74 andopposing surface are attached to substantially parallel rollers 73,which may be synchronously rotated using mating gears 71. Alternatively,the cutting system 70 may use a means other than a rotary cutter, suchas a horizontal linear cutter. Referring to FIG. 8, a horizontal linearcutter may employ a cutting wheel blade 76 attached to a carrier 77,which provides motion in the horizontal direction for the blade 76. Assuch, the wheel blade 76 may cut the backing material 15 as the carrier77 is moved in a horizontal direction that is substantiallyperpendicular to linear direction of the conveyor belt 30 and backingmaterial 15. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the cutting system70 may use a vertical linear cutter to cut the backing material 15 intoseparate sheets. The vertical linear cutter employs a cutting blade 78attached to a vertical carrier 79. The vertical carrier 79 mayreciprocate the cutting blade 78 so that the backing material 15 is cutin the gap between the individually deposited substrates 10.

Upon completion of the cutting process, the properly sized backingmaterial 15 and corresponding edible substrate 10 are output to theconveyor belt 30 or other conveyor means by which the substrates 10 maybe transported to storage-drying system 80. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 3, the storage-drying system is a wicket dryer system 80 thatseparately receives each edible substrate 10 using wickets 82. Asuitable wicket dryer system 80 may be provided, for example, by TrumaxLtd. located in Bristol, England. As the wickets 82 transport the ediblesubstrates 10 and their corresponding backing material 15 in the wicketdryer 80, the edible substrate 10 may be retained at an angled position(e.g. non-horizontal) to increase storage capacity and to substantiallyexpose both the top and bottom surfaces 12 and 19 (FIG. 2) of thesubstrate-backing combination. Depending on the mixture of ediblematerial 18 and the downstream manufacturing requirements, the wicketdryer system 80 may include drying units (not shown) that expose theedible substrates 10 to heated air, or the edible substrates 10 may bedried in ambient air, as the edible substrates 10 are transported to asubsequent storage device or printing process.

In an exemplary method, water can be removed by drying the substrate inan oven for about 20 to about 40 minutes, at an average temperature ofabout 50° C. While not intending to be bound by theory, it is estimatedthat approximately 90 to about 95% of the water can be removed afterabout 40 minutes at 50° C., for substrates that are less than about 25micrometers thick. The time and temperature ranges can be adjusted tocorrespond with a substrate thickness as well as the type and capacityof the heating equipment. As a final product, as it would be presentedto its packaging, or at the point of transferring onto a food item, asubstrate typically has enough moisture so that it is sufficientlyflexible so it does not fracture, yet can be removed from a releaseliner if one is present. For example, a substrate can have about 5 toabout 10% moisture. The edible substrates 10 can be packaged and/orstored until a later time, for handling and processing in a separateprocess or facility or by a subsequent manufacturer or printer.Packaging such as bags, envelopes, boxes, and the like can be used towrap and protect a substrate. Any conventional food packaging materialcan be used, but particularly useful materials are those that are wouldnot have any deleterious effects on a substrate. Packaging having a goodmoisture vapor barrier is useful. Substrates made from certaincompositions of the invention can maintain their stability when packagedin a substantially impervious container, particularly if the packagingcan maintain the moisture retained in the substrate. Exemplary materialsthat packaging can be made from and are suitable for a substrateaccording to the invention include for example, polypropylene films,polyester films such as MYLAR® (E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company;Wilmington, Del.), foils (e.g. aluminum) and the like. A printed orunprinted substrate made from a composition of the invention can bestored in a freezer, or at room temperature. A cool environment can beconducive to maintaining freshness of the substrate. Upon removal from acooler or freezer, a substrate can be thawed and subsequently used toaccept a transferred image, or can be directly adhered to a food item. Asubstrate, whether or not it bears an image, advantageously does notsuffer deleterious effects when subjected to a freeze thaw regiment.

An image can be placed onto a surface of a substrate using any suitableprocess, such as a silk screen printing process, offset printing,thermal transfer, ink jetting, etc. An image can include, for example,informative indicia (e.g. dates, names, etc); pictures or illustrationsof people, places and things; patterns; decorative art; and otheraesthetic images. Substrates made according to embodiments of theinvention can exhibit ability to hold and maintain the quality andintegrity of an applied image. For example, images applied with anedible ink can be placed on certain substrates and maintained such thatno significant or undesirable bleeding, fading, refractivity, hazinessoccurs. An image can be quite clear and aesthetically pleasing whenapplied onto a whitened substrate, such as those made from compositionsaccording to the invention that include a whitening agent. Substrateswith increased opacity can provide clear images, typically when used onfood items such as frosted cakes and other pastries.

An image can be applied in-line, as a substrate is made, just after asubstrate reaches its non-flowable state, or at a later stage in amanufacturing process. It may be possible that a non-image bearingsubstrate can be initially applied to a surface of a food item and thenpositioned to receive an image. Again, this can occur in-line, oroff-line. Numerous types of edible or comestible products can have asubstrate applied to it. Items, such as, but not limited to, pastries,iced cakes, pasties, ice-cream, cream, candy, vegetables, and meatproducts are food items that can be decorated, adorned or enhanced by asubstrate according to the invention. An image can be made from anedible ink formulation, applied to the substrate in any suitableprinting apparatus or process. For example, printing processes that maybe used include silk screen, wet offset, lithographic blanket transfer,flexographic Anolux roller transfer, letter press rotary relief plate,web print, reel to reel, and gravure. Suitable printing apparatusinclude dry offset printers available from Heidelberg Druckmaschinen AG,Heidelberg, Germany, A.B. Dick-Itek Limited, Middlesex, England andSakurai Machinery, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

FIG. 4 shows the slot-coat applicator 40 and associated slot coatingprocess in further detail. The edible material 18 may be supplied to theslot-coat applicator 40 using the flexible hose 54 from the pressurepump 50 (see FIG. 3). The slot-coat applicator 40 includes a mountingdevice 46 to suspend the applicator slot 42 at the appropriate heightabove the backing material 15. In one example, the slot-coat applicator40 may be a modular dispensing gun system provided by NordsonCorporation of Duluth, Ga. One or more valves 44 may operate to open andclose the flow of edible material from the applicator slot 42. Suchvalves 44 may be electrically connected to the control unit 55 via cable43. Alternatively, the valves 44 may be pneumatically controlled and aflexible hose (not shown) may be used to supply pressurized air to thevalves. The backing material 15 may be slightly lifted from the conveyorbelt 30 by an applicator guide 48, which may maintain the backingmaterial 15 at a substantially constant distance from the applicatorslot 42. The backing material 15 may move under the applicator slot 42while the valves 44 operate to open and close the flow of ediblematerial 18 in a repeating sequence so that a spaced array of ediblesubstrates 10 are deposited along the span of backing material 15. Smallgaps may be provided between the depositions of edible substrates 10 tofacilitate cutting the backing material 15 in the cutting system 70(FIG. 3) such that the edible substrates 10 may be divided from eachother by cutting the backing material 15 in the small gaps.

The dimensions of the edible substrate 10, such as the thickness 11, maybe adjusted by the size of the slot 42, the pressure of the material 18supplied the pressure pump 50, and the linear speed of the backingmaterial 15 with respect to the applicator slot. The pressure from thepump 50 may vary from about 40 psi to 700 psi depending on the desireddispensing operation and other known variables. In the embodiment shownin FIG. 4, the applicator slot 42 is positioned above the backingmaterial 15 such that the edible material 18 is dispensed in asubstantially vertical direction onto the backing material 15.Alternatively, the applicator slot 42 can be positioned to dispense theedible material 18 in a substantially horizontal direction such that thebacking material 15 contacts a bottom edge of the applicator slot 42while the edible material 18 is being dispensed thereon.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative system for dispensing the edible material 18on to the backing material 15, in accordance with another embodiment ofthe invention. A spray applicator 90 or an array of spray applicators 90may be used in place of, or in combination with, the slot coatapplicator 40. In one example, one or more suitable spray applicators 90operate at a working air pressure of about 40-50 psi with a maximumspray pattern of about 240-270 mm. Suitable spray applicators includemodel 672-067 by supplied by Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited of Hamilton,Bermuda. Alternate spray systems include the DeVilbiss GTi-A AutomaticSpray Gun from ITW Finishing UK located in Bournemouth, England. Theedible material 18 may be provided to the spray applicator 90 from thepressure pump 50 (FIG. 3), and a one or more valves 94 operate to openand close the flow of material 18 dispensed from the sprayer nozzle 92.The valves 94 may be pneumatically controlled, and a flexible hose 93may be used to supply pressurized air to the valves. Alternatively, thevalves 94 may be electrically connected to the control unit 55.

As in the slot coating embodiment, the backing material 15 may beslightly lifted from the conveyor belt 30 by an applicator guide 98,which may maintain the backing material 15 at a substantially constantdistance from the sprayer nozzle 92. The backing material 15 may moveunder the sprayer nozzle 92 while the valves 94 operate to open andclose the flow of edible material 18 in a repeating pattern such that anarray of edible substrates 10 are deposited along the span of backingmaterial 15. Optionally, small gaps may be provided between the spraydepositions of edible substrates 10 to facilitate the cutting of thebacking material 15 in the cutting system 70 (FIG. 3). Depending on theproperties of the edible material 18, and the rate of deposition fromthe sprayer nozzle, more than one spray applications may be required toachieve the desired thickness 11 of the edible substrate 10. Forinstance, in certain embodiments the nozzles deposit about 0.002-0.003inches of edible material 18 on the backing material in a single pass.In order to build the substrate 10 up to a thickness 11 of about 0.010inches, the edible material 18 may be dispensed by using three sets ofsprayers or by cycling the backing material 15 through a single sprayingstation three to four times. In such embodiments, the edible material 18maybe exposed to a drying system 60 before subsequent additionaldepositions from a bank of spray applicators 90.

The deposition quality of the slot-coat applicator 40 and the sprayapplicator 90 may vary depending on the physical characteristics of theedible material 18 that is being dispensed. The mixture of ingredientsin the edible material may be adjusted according to ambient conditions,including temperature and humidity. In some circumstances, the physicalcharacteristics of the edible material 18, such as the viscosity, maychange when the mixture is altered. The viscosity for different mixturesof the edible material 18 may range from 1000 to 9000 centipoise. Manymixtures having higher viscosities are well suited to the slot-coatingtechnique described above, whereas many lower viscosity embodiments arebetter suited to spray deposition.

EXAMPLE

One implementation for preparing a edible substrate is as follows. Apolyethylene-coated release paper (supplied by Cotek Papers, Ltd. ofDraycoft, England) having a width of about 500 mm and thickness of about180 micrometers is moved on a conveyor belt to a slot-coat applicator ata rate of about 0.1 meters/second (about 20 feet/minute). Astarch-based, edible material having a density of about 1.098 g/ml and aviscosity of about 3,232 centipoise (calculated using a No. 2 Zahn cup)is provided to the slot-coat applicator, which is a modular dispensinggun system provided by Nordson Corporation of Duluth, Ga. The ediblematerial is supplied to the slot-coat applicator at a substantiallyconstant pressure of about 350 psi using a pressure pump provided byNordson Corporation of Duluth, Ga. The slot-coat applicator includespneumatic valves that controlled the flow of edible material from theapplicator slot, which have an approximate width of about 470 mm. Thevalves are manipulated such that the edible material is deposited asseparate substrates, each having a length of about 270 mm and athickness of about 250 micrometers, along the span of releasable backingpaper with about 30 mm gaps between the substrates.

The edible substrates are transported along a conveyor system though anIRT drying system, which was provided by Solaronics IRT S.A. ofArmentieres, France. The drying system includes a series of spaced-apartIRT-monocassette drying units that spanned a length of about 20 meters,and each drying unit is capable of providing up to 3 kW of power to heatthe edible substrates and remove a substantial portion of the moisturecontent (approximately 40% of the weight of the edible material inthisembodiment). After the edible material is sufficiently dried to asubstantially non-flowable state, the edible substrates is transportedthrough a rotary cutting system. The span of releasable backing paper iscut into individual sheets having dimensions of about 500 mm×300 mm,each sheet having one edible substrate (dimensions of about 470 mm×270mm) approximately centered thereon. The cut backing paper and thecorresponding edible substrates thereon are transported using a conveyorfrom the rotary cutting system to a wicket drying system provided byTrumax Ltd. of Bristol, England. The wicket drying system includes asheet jogger to transport each sheet into an individual wicket and togently collect the sheets as they offload from the wickets. Uponcompletion of the wicket drying system, the edible substrates areprepared for a printing process in which a design is applied to theexposed surface of the edible substrate using edible ink.

Edible Substrate Formulations

Formulations suitable for use as the edible material 18 in the foregoingprocesses may include starch, water and ingredients that cooperate toprovide a formulation that can be made using a variety of substratemanufacturing techniques and result in substrates that are environmenttolerable. In particular, components in a starch-based composition caninclude, for example, an emulsifier, a plasticizer, a stabilizer, ahumectant, and a texturizer. Depending on the total amount of eachingredient and the types of ingredients present in the composition, aspecific component or ingredient can be multi-functional and serve inone or more of the described capacities.

The starch in the composition can be used to primarily provide a basesolid material or structure forming material. The starch can be used inunrefined, refined, unmodified or modified form. Exemplary starchesinclude those based from maize (corn), potato, wheat, and tapiocastarch. The amount of starch in a composition of the invention can beabout 5 wt % to about 28 wt %, a suitable range also being about 6 wt %to about 25 wt %. Certain compositions can include about 8 wt % to about15 wt % starch. Gum acacia can optionally be included with the starch,adding to the structure forming material, at concentrations up to about17 wt %.

Water can be present in the composition at about 25 wt % to about 70 wt% of the total weight of the composition. Certain embodiments can haveabout 28 wt % to about 52 wt % water, and particular formulations canhave about 35 wt % to about 45 wt %. Other useful compositions can haveabout 50 wt % to about 65 wt % water.

Including an emulsifier in an edible composition in accordance with anexemplary formulation of the invention can be beneficial in ensuringhomogeneity. The amount of emulsifier in a composition can be up toabout 10 wt % of the total composition. Exemplary compositions caninclude up to about 5 wt % emulsifier, and other compositions caninclude about 0.5 wt % to about 1.5 wt % emulsifier. Suitableemulsifiers include for example, lecithin, polyglycerol polyricinoleate,acetic esters of monoglycerides, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate(e.g. commercially available products such as POLYSORBATE 60, CRILLET,CRILLET VEG A, and TWEEN), and combinations thereof. A useful emulsifieris a product commercially available under the trade designationPOLYSORBATE 60. Combinations of suitable emulsifiers can also be used inthe composition. Substrates made from an exemplary composition accordingto the invention can exhibit an improved capability of holding (bearing)an applied image when the composition includes an effective amount ofemulsifier. This helps achieve and maintain the clarity of an imageapplied to a substrate.

Including a plasticizer in the composition can impart a peelable,flexible characteristic to a resultant substrate made from a compositionof the invention. Providing a flexible substrate can be beneficial incertain image printing techniques, such as off-set printing, where thesubstrate may need to be manipulated in, for example, axial or radialdirections. The plasticizer is also useful for ensuring that a substrateis peelable or removable from its carrier, such as a release liner.Transferring a substrate to a target food item is desirably accomplishedwithout structural defects to the substrate, such as flaking,fracturing, etc. A preferred plasticizer is glycerin. Thus, easy orsmooth removal from a release liner can prevent such damage.Compositions according to the invention can include up to about 10 wt %plasticizer; up to about 5 wt % plasticizer is also suitable forexemplary compositions.

A stabilizer can be useful in an edible composition to preventseparation of the ingredients, such as the solids from the liquids, orthe fatty phase from the aqueous phase. Including a stabilizer alsohelps maintain the viscosity necessary to process the composition. Astabilizer can be present in the composition at up to about 16 wt %,based on the total weight of the composition. In one implementation, astabilizer can be included at about 2 wt % to about 6 wt %; othercompositions can include about 5 wt % to about 12 wt % stabilizer.Examples of useful stabilizers for the composition include one or moreingredients chosen from locust bean gum, arabic gum, acacia gum,polysorbate, sodium alginate, starch, xanthan, acetic esters ofmonoglycerides, and polyglycerol polyricinoleate, sorbitol, and starch.In exemplary embodiments, a stabilizer can advantageously work inadditional capacities, such as a suspension agent, or a thickener (e.g.viscosity modifier). Acacia gum, for example, can function as astabilizer in the composition, yet can also impart thickening andstructure forming features. When used as a viscosity modifier, astabilizer can be present in a composition in any amount that impartssufficient viscosity so that a composition is processable (e.g.spreadable). Many substrate manufacturing techniques, such as spraycoating, screen printing, and slot coating typically require acomposition to have a viscosity of about 1000 to about 9000 centipoise(cP). Lower viscosity compositions may be more conducive to spraycoating, while the higher viscosity compositions tend to be capable ofbeing processed by coating (e.g. slot coating) or screen printing, forexample. Achieving a lower viscosity composition may involve addinghigher amounts of water (e.g. greater than about 50 wt %) and/oradjustments to the concentration of other constituents of thecomposition. These compositions, having a viscosity of about 1000 toabout 2000 cP, can be particularly suitable for spray applications.

A humectant can be present in the composition at about 5 wt % to about35 wt % of the composition, and can be achieved by using one or more of,for example, sorbitol, glycerine, and sugars, such as icing cane sugar(e.g. sucrose), fondant icing sugar, xylitol, glucose, and fructose.Useful formulations for exemplary compositions include about 2 wt % toabout 6 wt % humectant, and also about 6 wt % to about 10 wt %humectant; while others can include 10 wt % to about 16 wt %. Humectantscan be used to retain the moisture of a composition and thereby impartflexibility to the composition once it has been formed into, forexample, a substrate. Desirably, substrates are sufficiently flexible soit can be handled without fracturing or falling apart.

Compositions of the invention can also include a texturizer, aningredient that can help a mixture flow, such as what occurs whensubstrates are made. A texturizer can retain and/or bind the water, toprovide a flowable, pourable, coatable, extrudable or sprayablecomposition. Materials that can be used as the texturizer include, butare not limited to, acacia gum, Arabic gum, glucose, fructose, sucrose,and combinations thereof The texturizer can be present in thecomposition at about 1 wt % to about 20 wt %, and also between about 7wt % to about 15 wt %.

As noted above, substrates made in accordance with the invention can beused for decorating confectionary foods that are often cut intoindividual pieces, such as what is often done with a cake. In theseapplications, it is generally desirable that the substrate easily cutswithout fraying or fracturing and maintains the integrity of an image(if one exists on the substrate). This cuttability feature can beachieved by optionally using a disintegrant. The disintegrant can bepresent up to about 12 wt %, however, the amount can be adjustedaccording to a particular application of a substrate. A usefuldisintegrant material is microcrystalline cellulose.

Other optional additives that can be included in compositions of theinvention including, but not limited to, sweeteners, color enhancingagents, preservatives, flavoring, and rheology modifiers. Suitablesweeteners include for example, sorbitol, glucose syrup, fructose,sucrose, dextrose, aspartame, and sugars such as icing cane sugar andfondant icing sugar. Use of sweeteners can also be beneficial inapplications where a composition is made into a freezable substratesince a sweetener can change (e.g. depress) the freezing point and alsoaid in freeze-thaw stability of a substrate. Certain sweeteners such assorbitol, have many useful characteristics that impart various featuresto the composition beyond just sweetening; therefore it can bebeneficial to use sorbitol as a sweetener as it may serve otherfunctions in the composition as described above. Dextrose, in the formof dextrose monohydrate can also be useful, as it can add smooth andcooling taste to the composition. In an embodiment of the invention, thesweetener can be in a composition at a concentration up to about 30 wt%, a suitable range also being about 5 wt % to about 15 wt %. The amountof sweetener, however, can be adjusted according to a desired taste.Color enhancing agents can be, for example, whiteners, colorants, inks,dyes, or pigments. Certain substrates are often desirably whitened foraesthetic reasons, particularly when used for decorating pastries suchas cakes, cupcakes, and the like. A popular whitening agent forconfectionary applications is titanium dioxide. In the practice of theinvention, up to about 4 wt % titanium dioxide can be used in anexemplary composition. Any known pigment approved for human consumptionmay be used as the color enhancing agent, including, for example,carmoisine, quinoline, ponceau 4R, blue 1, vegetable carbon, blue V,blue 2, and FD&C pigments such as yellow 5, red 3, red 40, blue 1, andblue 2. A preservative can be added to a composition to increase theshelf life and inhibit microbial growth (e.g. microorganisms including,but not limited to yeast, mold, bacteria). Up to about 1 wt % of apreservative can be added to an exemplary edible composition of theinvention. Examples of useful food preservatives for the compositions ofthe invention are citric acid, potassium sorbate, sorbic acid, sodiumbenzoate, EDTA and combinations thereof. Flavoring agents forembodiments of the invention can include citric acid, vanilla, and anyother edible natural or artificial flavorant. The flavoring agent can bepresent up to about 1 wt % of the composition.

Optionally, a fatty phase comprising oil can be included in acomposition of the invention as a rheology modifier. The oil can be anyedible oil, and preferably a vegetable oil, such as one derived from forexample, rapeseed, corn, and soy. A combination of oils can also beused. In an embodiment, rapeseed oil is used to enhance the behavior ofthe composition as it is applied to a backing such as a release liner.In particular, rapeseed oil can assist and enhance the composition'sability to coat (e.g. lay or spread on) a waxy release liner. An oil canbe present in a composition at up to about 15 wt % of the totalcomposition.

A suitable edible substrate formulation can be made by first dryblending all the dry ingredients except the color enhancing agent ifused. The liquid ingredients, including the emulsifier are then blendedtogether into a separate mixture. The optional color enhancing agent isthen added to the liquid mixture and dispersed therein using a highshear mixer. This mixing is generally performed for approximately 5minutes, although the mixing time can be adjusted according to amountsused. The fatty phase ingredients (e.g., lecithin and/or oil) areinitially heated to, for example about 70-80° C. and then added to theliquid mixture and dispersed therein using a high shear mixer. Finally,the liquid mixture (with fatty phase) is then added to the blended dryingredients and mixed for a sufficient time to achieve a well-mixedblend. Mixing time for the final blend can typically take, for example,5 minutes, although time adjustments can be necessary for larger orsmaller volumes of compositions, or for equipment that may havedifferent mixing speeds and capacities.

Exemplary compositions, when made into planar substrates, demonstratehigh tolerance to extreme temperatures and levels of humidity. In oneembodiment of the invention, a substrate (whether it is imprinted uponor not) is capable of withstanding a freeze thaw regime withoutsuffering any deleterious affects thereto. Thus, substrates made from acomposition of the invention can be conveniently frozen (e.g.manufactured, stored etc.) at about 0° C. or less, and allowed to thawat, for example, room temperature, when ready for use or handling (e.g.shipping). A substrate made from a composition of the invention can bealso be, for example, frozen, thawed, and then heated to, for example,cooking temperatures. In an aspect, a substrate can be stable infreezing temperatures, yet maintain its integrity even after beingsubjected to cooking temperatures, such as above 75° C. It has beenfound, for example, that image-bearing substrates made from certaincompositions according to the invention demonstrate an ability tomaintain the integrity of the substrate and the quality of an image(e.g. definition and clarity) after being exposed to baking conditions(e.g. temperatures greater than about 93° C.). Thus the image bearingsubstrate can be placed on a partially processed or unprocessed foodproduct before being subjected to the final cooking process, which canbe any of a variety of methods such as baking, grilling, frying,broiling, etc. These cooking techniques can sometimes reach up to about275° C. However, for deep frying, for example, the temperature range canbe lower, depending what type of oil is used. With certain compositions,a substrate can be made to optionally expand with its target food item,such as what occurs with dough-based products. Upon expansion, the imagecan maintain its definition even as the product becomes fully processed.

A temperature range in which a substrate according to the invention canbe stable is from about -35° C. to about 275° C. Edible compositions canbe formulated to provide substrates that are stable within about 0° C.to about 20° C., while others can withstand temperatures of about 18° C.to about 32° C. and maintain their stability. Stability can be inregards to the structure of the substrate, as well as its freshness(e.g. edibility, taste, color, etc). A stable substrate would not, forexample, experience any significant and/or unexpected softening orhardening which would make it difficult to process for image applicationor for placement onto a food item. Some softening can occur when asubstrate is subjected to added heat, such as in cooking. However, thiswould not be considered instability, as the softening is expected anddesirable, and can help keep the substrate in place on the food surface.A stable substrate also describes one that does not fall apart upon anyprocess-appropriate handling. Furthermore, a stable substrate wouldtypically not experience any significant or undesired discoloration orchange in taste.

A substrate formed from a composition described herein can be highlytolerable to both low and high humidity levels. Environments ofsubstantially no to low humidity, such as about 5% RH (relativehumidity) typically would not affect the integrity of the substrate.Thus, a substrate made from a composition according to the invention canbe stable in an environment having greater than about 5% humidity. Evenmore advantageously, a substrate can be tolerable of high humiditylevels. For example, a substrate according to the invention can bestable above about 50% RH, a humidity level at which conventionalsubstrates can experience detrimental effects. Certain substrates caneven withstand humidity levels of up to about 100%. In high humidityconditions, exemplary compositions of the invention that are formed intosubstrates as a layer on a compatible backing or release liner canconveniently be transferred to a food item without fracturing or fallingapart.

Formulation 1

A composition with the ingredients listed in Table 1 was made by firstmixing the dry ingredients, except the titanium dioxide. The liquidingredients were then mixed together. The fatty phase ingredients wereheated to about 70°-80° C. and then admixed to the liquid mixture. Thedry mixture was then mixed to the liquid/fatty phase mixture and blendedwell. All the mixing was performed with a high shear homogenizer.

An amount of the composition was coated onto a wax coated paper as asheet (approximately 30.5 cm×30.5 cm) and oven dried in a series of heattreatments that averaged to about 50° C and totaled forty minutes ofoven baking. The heat treatments were performed in an oven equipped withan infrared heating element (IRT-Monocassette w/Control Unit fromSolaronics IRT S.A.; Armentieres, France). The composition layer wasconsidered to be substantially non-flowable after some oven heating, andconsidered fully cured prior to applying an image thereon. Varioussample sizes and shapes were cut (e.g. die-cut) from the substratesheets, all samples dimensioned to fit on a food item. Each sample wasthen applied to a food item and subjected to cooking conditions,including baking, grilling and frying.

Samples that were baked were placed on biscuits, scones or pies thenheated to about 160° C. to about 250° C. Samples that were deep friedwere applied on chicken pieces (e.g. nuggets) and sausage rolls, andthen fried at about 180 to about 200° C. Grilled samples were chickenand fish pieces that bore imaged substrate samples; these were grilledat 160 to about 200° C.

All samples cooked according to techniques described above were observedto be stable and capable of maintaining the quality of the image evenafter the cooling step. TABLE 1 % by wt. Wt. in Kg Dry Gum Acacia 14.046.06 Ingredients Maize Starch 13.34 5.76 Microcrystalline Cellulose 1.950.84 Xanthan 0.70 0.30 Titanium Dioxide 2.90 1.25 Modified Starch 0.490.21 Potassium Sorbate 0.14 0.06 Liquid Water 41.70 18.00 IngredientsSorbitol 9.27 4.00 Glycerine 4.63 2.00 Polysorbate 60 0.97 0.42 VanillaFlavoring 0.12 0.05 Fatty Lecithin 0.51 0.22 Phase Rapeseed Oil 9.274.00 Total 100.00 43.17Formulation 2

A composition with the ingredients and amounts listed below in Table 2was made in similar fashion to the mixing procedure of Example 1. TABLE2 % By Wt. Wt. in Kg Dry Maize Starch 14.48 6.91 IngredientsMicrocrystalline Cellulose 6.34 3.02 Gum Acacia 6.24 2.98 Icing CaneSugar 5.03 2.40 Dextrose Monohydrate 4.23 2.02 Titanium Dioxide 3.151.50 Modified Starch 0.50 0.24 Citric Acid 0.30 0.14 Potassium Sorbate0.08 0.04 Xanthan 0.30 0.14 Liquid Water 40.24 19.20 Ingredients Glucoseliquid 9.36 4.46 Glycerine 3.72 1.78 Polysorbate 60 1.11 0.53 Sorbitol0.40 0.19 Vanilla flavoring 0.10 0.05 Fatty Rapeseed Oil 4.02 1.92 PhaseLecithin 0.40 0.19 Total 100. 47.72

Substrates made from this composition were frozen and then thawed toroom temperature. It was observed that the freeze-thaw regiment did notresult in any significant detrimental effects on the substrate. Samplesof the substrate were also subjected to a high humidity environment. Thesamples remained stable.

Formulation 3

A composition having the following ingredients and amounts as providedbelow in Table 3 was prepared. TABLE 3 Wt. % Dry Gum Acacia 8.81%Ingredients Microcrystalline Cellulose 1.17% Xanthan 0.59% TitaniumDioxide 0.59% Modified Starch 0.44% (Pre-gelatinised Waxy Maize Starch)Aspartame 0.06% Potassium Sorbate 0.09% Maize Starch 8.37% LiquidSorbitol 8.81% Ingredients Glycerine 5.87% Water 64.62%  Polysorbate 600.59% Total  100%

All the dry ingredients except titanium dioxide were dry blended in amixer. All the liquid ingredients were blended in a separate mixture, towhich titanium dioxide was then added and dispersed using a high shearmixer/homogenizer (mfr: Silverson Machines, Inc.; East Longmeadow,Mass.). Mixing was conducted for approximately 5 minutes. The liquidmixture was then added to the dry mixture and mixed until a well blendedcomposition was achieved. The composition was then sieved through a finemesh (size: 250 micrometers). The final composition was then made intosubstrates using either (1) an air operated spray gun (Ingersoll-Rand672-067) or (2) a slot coater. Average thickness of each substratevaried from about 0.005 to about 0.025 inches.

The substrate sheets were oven dried in a series of heat treatments thataveraged about 50° C. and totaled forty minutes of oven baking. The heattreatments were performed in an oven equipped with an Infrared heatingelement (IRT-Monocassette w/Control Unit from Solaronics IRT S.A.;Armentieres, France). The composition layer was considered to besubstantially non-flowable after some oven heating, and considered fullycured prior to applying an image thereon. The samples were consideredstable and capable of being handled in various climate conditions.

Formulation 4

A composition having the ingredients and amounts as provided below inTable 4 was prepared according to the procedure described in Example 3,except the citric acid was treated the same as titanium dioxide (i.e.added at a later stage). TABLE 4 % by wt. Dry Potassium Sorbate 0.02%Ingredients Maize Starch 13.93%  Titanium Dioxide 2.95% Modified Starch0.46% Icing Cane Sugar 4.45% Dextrose Monohydrate 3.72% MicrocrystallineCellulose 5.65% Gum Acacia 5.65% Liquid Glucose syrup 8.45% IngredientsGlycerine 3.32% Water 49.83%  Polysorbate 60 0.92% Sorbitol 0.37% CitricAcid 0.23% Vanilla Flavoring 0.05% Total  100%

Substrate sheets were made from the composition using a slot coater, andheat treated according to the procedure described in Example 3. Sampleswere found to be stable and capable of being handled in various climateconditions.

Formulation 5

A composition having the following ingredients and amounts as providedbelow in Table 5 was prepared according to the procedure described inExample 3. TABLE 5 % by wt. Dry Maize Starch 10.10 Ingredients GumAcacia 10.10 Xanthan 1.37 Titanium Dioxide 0.13 Potassium Sorbate 0.10Sweeteners 0.06 Liquid Water 60.63 Ingredients Polysorbate 60 0.67Sorbitol 16.84 Total 100

Substrate sheets were made from the composition according to theprocedure described in Example 3. Samples were found to be stable andcapable of being handled in various climate conditions.

A number of embodiments of the invention have been described.Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Forexample, the steps of the methods disclosed herein can be performed in adifferent order and still achieve desirable results. Accordingly, otherembodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

1. A method of making an edible substrate, the method comprising: slotcoating an edible material onto a backing material to form a layer ofthe edible material having a thickness of about 750 micrometers or less,the edible material having a viscosity in the range of approximately1000-9000 centipoise; and drying the layer of edible material to form anedible substrate that is adapted to receive an edible ink compositionand be manually peeled away from the backing material.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising printing an image onto the edible substratewith an edible ink composition.
 3. The method of claim 2, whereinprinting an image comprises applying an ink by lithographic or gravureprinting.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: removing theedible substrate from the backing material and applying the ediblesubstrate to a baked good.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the slotcoating step comprises forming a layer of the edible materialapproximately 50 to about 750 micrometers thick.
 6. The method of claim1, wherein the edible material is substantially stable in low relativehumidity environments.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the backingmaterial comprises a paper coated with one or more of the following:corona, wax, plastic, cellulose, polyethylene or polypropylene.
 8. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the backing material comprises a polymericfilm.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the edible material issubstantially stable when exposed to a temperature above about 90° C.10. The method of claim 1, wherein the drying step comprises drying theedible material until the weight of the edible material is reduced byapproximately 30 to 50%.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the ediblematerial includes water and wherein the drying step comprises removingmore than about 90% of the water from the edible material.
 12. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: selectively interrupting the slotcoating to form a plurality of separate substantially contiguous layersof the edible material.
 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:cutting the backing material with the edible material applied theretointo a plurality of discrete segments.
 14. The method of claim 1,wherein the edible material is prepared by: blending a dry mixturecomprising about 5 wt % to about 28 wt % starch, up to about 16 wt %stabilizer and about 1 wt % to about 20 wt % texturizer; blending aliquid mixture comprising about 25wt% to about 70 wt % water, about 5 wt% to about 35 wt % humectant, up to about 10 wt % emulsifier, and up toabout 10 wt % plasticizer; and combining the dry mixture and the liquidmixture to provide a flowable mixture.
 15. The method of claim 1,further comprising: spraying the edible material onto the backingmaterial in combination with the slot-coating to form the substantiallycontiguous layer the edible material.
 16. The method of claim 1, whereinthe edible material comprises: an emulsifier; a plasticizer; astabilizer; a humectant; a texturizer; starch; and water.
 17. The methodof claim 16, wherein the edible material, when formed into asubstantially non-flowable substrate, is stable in an environment havinga temperature about −35° C. to about 275° C., and a humidity levelgreater than about 5%.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein theemulsifier is present at up to about 10 wt % of the total ediblematerial.
 19. The method of claim 16, wherein the plasticizer is presentat up to about 10 wt % of the total edible material.
 20. The method ofclaim 16, wherein the stabilizer is present at up to about 16 wt % ofthe total edible material.
 21. The method of claim 16, wherein thehumectant is present at about 5 wt % to about 35 wt % of the totaledible material.
 22. The method of claim 16, wherein the texturizer ispresent at about 1 wt % to about 20 wt % of the total edible material.23. The method of claim 16, wherein the starch is present at about 5 wt% to about 28 wt % of the total edible material.
 24. The method of claim16, wherein the water is present at about 25 wt % to about 70 wt % ofthe total edible material.
 25. The method of claim 16, wherein theedible material further comprises a disintegrant.
 26. The method ofclaim 16, wherein the edible material comprises: up to about 10 wt %emulsifier; up to about 10 wt % plasticizer; up to about 16 wt %stabilizer; about 5 wt % to about 35 wt % humectant; about 1 wt % toabout 20 wt % texturizer; starch; and water.
 27. A system for making anedible substrate, comprising: a reservoir to contain an edible material;a slot-coater to receive the edible material from the reservoir and toslot-coat the edible material onto a backing material to form a layer ofthe edible material having a thickness of about 750 micrometers or less;a transport mechanism to transport a backing material past the slotcoater; a controller to regulate slot-coating of the edible materialfrom the slot-coater onto the backing material; and a drying systemcomprising a heating mechanism to dry the layer of edible material andthereby form an edible substrate adapted to receive an edible inkcomposition and be manually peeled away from the backing material. 28.The system of claim 27, wherein the controller is adapted to interruptslot-coating to form a plurality of separate layers of the ediblematerial, the separate layers separated by a gap.
 29. The system ofclaim 27, wherein the drying system is configured to dry the layer ofedible material so that moisture is removed to reduce a weight of theedible material by approximately 30 to 50%.
 30. The system of claim 29,wherein the drying system is further configured to remove at least about90% of water included in the edible material.
 31. The system of claim28, further comprising: a cutting system configured to cut the backingmaterial into a plurality of discrete segments at the gap separating theplurality of layers of the edible material.
 32. The system of claim 31,further comprising: a rack system including a plurality of arms, whereeach arm is configured to receive a discrete segment of the backingmaterial and a layer of edible material supported thereon.
 33. Thesystem of claim 32, wherein the rack system further includes one or moredrying units configured to expose a layer of the edible material toheated air.
 34. The system of claim 33, wherein drying units of the racksystem are configured to remove at least about 90% of water included inthe edible material.
 35. The system of claim 27, further comprising: aprinting device configured to apply an image to an edible substrateusing an edible ink composition.
 36. The system of claim 35, wherein theprinting device is configured to apply an image by lithographic blankettransfer printing, flexographic printing, or gravure printing.
 37. Thesystem of claim 27, wherein the edible substrate is approximately 50 to750 micrometers in thickness.
 38. The system of claim 27, wherein theedible material has a viscosity in the range of approximately 1000-9000centipoise.
 39. The system of claim 27, wherein the edible material issubstantially stable in low relative humidity environments.
 40. Thesystem of claim 27, wherein the edible material comprises: up to about10 wt % emulsifier; up to about 10 wt % plasticizer; up to about 16 wt %stabilizer; about 5 wt % to about 35 wt % humectant; about 1 wt % toabout 20 wt % texturizer; starch; and water.
 41. The system of claim 27,wherein the backing material comprises a paper coated with one or moreof the following: corona, wax, plastic, cellulose, polyethylene orpolypropylene.
 42. The system of claim 27, wherein the edible materialis substantially stable when exposed to a temperature above about 90° C.43. A method of making an edible substrate, the method comprising:spraying an edible material onto a backing material to form a layer ofthe edible material having a thickness of about 750 micrometers or less,the edible material having a viscosity in the range of approximately1000-9000 centipoise; and drying the layer of edible material to form anedible substrate that is adapted to receive an edible ink compositionand be manually peeled away from the backing material.